This homemade Apple Fritter Bread is soft, moist, and packed with cinnamon-sugar apples in every bite. It's like a bakery-style apple fritter baked into a cozy apple quick bread loaf – warm, sweet, and topped with a simple vanilla glaze. Perfect for fall mornings, holiday brunches, or anytime you crave a Fall treat.
As a kid, I loved visiting the local donut shop and seeing rows of warm apple fritters with icing still dripping – pure magic! We'd devour them in seconds, wishing for just one more. Now, I make this Apple Fritter Bread instead. It has all the same cozy flavors – cinnamon, apples, and sweet glaze – in a soft, baked loaf that's lighter and perfect anytime. Truly the best quick bread for fall, and yes… I still count it as breakfast! Or, if you're feeling like a treat, you can check out my Fried Apple Cider Donuts.
Quick Look: Easy Apple Fritter Bread
- ⏱ Prep Time: 10 mins
- 🍞 Bake Time: 55-60 mins
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
- 🍽 Servings: 8 slices
- 🔥 Calories: 383 cal per slice (may vary)
- 👩🍳 Cook Method: Oven-baked
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Bakery flavors at home: Apples, brown sugar swirls, and sweet glaze – baked, not fried.
- Soft & cozy: Fluffy slices full of fall flavor just like my Libby’s Pumpkin Bread.
- Perfect for gifting or freezing: Easy to share or save for later.
- Simple & irresistible: A quick, homemade quick bread everyone will love.
Ingredient Notes
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Cinnamon Mixture
- Brown Sugar & Cinnamon: For that warm, classic swirl flavor.
Bread
- Sugar, Butter, Eggs, Vanilla Extract: Adds sweetness, moisture, and flavor.
- Flour, Baking Powder, Milk: Creates a soft, fluffy texture.
Apple Mixture
- Fresh Apples: Granny Smith or Honeycrisp hold up best in baking.
- Sugar & Cinnamon: Layered for that signature swirl flavor.
Glaze
- Powdered Sugar & Milk: Creates a simple, sweet topping for the glazed finish.
How to Make Country Apple Fritter Bread
Step 1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×5 loaf pan. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside.
Step 2. Cream butter and sugar, then add eggs and vanilla.
Step 3. Combine flour and baking powder, then stir into the butter mixture with milk to make the batter.
Step 4. Toss chopped apples with sugar and cinnamon.
Step 5. Layer half the batter in the prepared loaf pan, add half the apple mixture, and sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar. Repeat layers.
Step 6. Bake in preheated oven 55-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes on wire rack, then drizzle with powdered sugar glaze. Slice cooled bread with a sharp knife and enjoy!
Baking Tips
- Grease well: Prevent sticking for perfect slices.
- Don't over-mix: Stir until just combined to keep your bread soft and fluffy.
- Cool before glazing: Let the loaf cool so the glaze sets on top, creating a perfect glazed finish.
- Optional add-ins: Chopped nuts or a dash of extra spice can elevate your cinnamon swirl just like in my Snickerdoodle Apple Bread.
Storing & Serving
- Room temperature: Keep in an airtight container on counter for 2-4 days.
- Refrigerate: Up to 1 week for Amish apple fritter bread freshness.
- Freezer: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store up to 6 months – perfect for later.
- Serving: Slice and enjoy warm from microwave, toasted, or spread with butter or Instant Pot Mixed Berry Jam for a cozy glazed treat.
Apple Fritter Bread FAQs
Firm, sweet-tart apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Jonathan hold up best in baking. They give the perfect texture for this bread without turning mushy.
For optimal freshness, store this country apple fritter bread in the fridge up to a week. At room temperature, it will stay fresh for 2-4 days. Freeze for longer storage up to 6 months.
An apple fritter is a fried pastry made with apples and cinnamon, usually topped with glaze or powdered sugar. This bread captures all that flavor in a baked loaf – a lighter, shareable version of the classic treat.
More Apple Recipes You’ll Love
Enjoy a slice of soft, sweet fritter bread, filled with cinnamon and drizzled glaze. Perfect as a cozy quick bread for fall mornings, brunch, or gifting!
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Old-Fashioned Apple Fritter Bread
Video
Ingredients
Cinnamon Mixture
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Bread
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ½ cup butter softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup milk
Apple Mixture
- 2 apples peeled & chopped
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Glaze
- ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan.
- Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar, then beat in eggs and vanilla.
- Mix flour and baking powder; stir into butter mixture with milk to form batter.
- Toss apples with sugar and cinnamon.
- Layer half the batter in pan, add half the apple mixture, sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar. Repeat layers with remaining batter, apples, and cinnamon sugar.
- Bake 55-60 mins, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool 20 mins, then drizzle glaze over top. Slice and enjoy your cinnamon swirl quick bread.
Notes
- Don't overmix to keep bread soft and fluffy.
- Cool completely before glazing for a perfect finish.
- Add nuts if desired for extra crunch.
- Room temp: 2-4 days in airtight container.
- Fridge: Up to 1 week.
- Freeze: Up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Andrea Z says
Made this as directed. Flavor was really good. However, while the loaf pan was well greased, and I waited 20 minutes before trying to remove it from the pan, the bottom stuck in the pan and the top part came out. 2 questions, why did the bottom stick, since it really was well greased. Should it be lined with a parchment paper sling? Or better yet, would it work in a 8 or 9” baking pan instead of a loaf pan?
Kristin Hayes says
Glad you enjoyed the flavor, such a bummer on the sticking part. Sometimes when the apples and brown sugar combine and bake, it can caramelize and stick a bit more to the pan. If thoroughly greased, it “shouldn’t” happen, but “could”. To avoid, you can grease and flour, or use parchment paper and lift out of the pan to remove. I have made this before in an 8 inch pan and it works great, just adjust bake time.
Kat says
absolutely love it. it’s a hit with everyone I share it with.
Kristin Hayes says
Yay!! Love hearing this!!
Kristin H. says
A Fall favorite in my house!!
J says
This is a great and forgiving recipe. I needed to use up Whole Wheat Flour, Self Rising Flour, and whole apples I placed in freezer when we had to head out of town unexpectedly. I also discovered I didn’t have enough brown sugar so I made up difference with white sugar and a drop of molasses. I used 1/2 cup of each flour and reduced the baking powder by 1/3 to accommodate. I peeled and diced frozen apples and baked over a rack in 280 degree oven for 1 hour to get rid of excess moisture, and then mixed the juice in baking pan with milk to make 1/2 cup as called for in recipe. Then I followed recipe as written and this bread was fantastic. My husband wants me to make again exactly as I did today. Don’t tell him I am going to make as written next time since I had to add a bunch of steps. I am sure original recipe is even better than my Frankenstein version.
Kristin says
Yay!! Love hearing this! So glad you enjoyed and love the changes you made! So glad it worked out!!
Diane says
I forgot to add that hubby liked it! Also, I left it in the pan 20 minutes after it finished baking and I lined the bottom of pan with wax paper along with greasing the side of pan. Came out great!!
Kristin says
Yay!! Love hearing that! So glad it was hubby approved and it was a success!
Diane says
This turned out Perfect! SOOO Good! The only problem is handling it. Because it is a light bread it is a bit flimsy for handling. Might be easier when it cools. I couldn’t wait :). To help the next person: I used 3 cups of apples cut into about 1/4″ pieces and smaller. Next time I would only use 1 T. of milk to the powdered sugar. It was too thin with 3 and does not look like the picture. This is definitely a keeper recipe! Takes a while to put together but worth it!!!!
Kristin says
Yay!! So glad you enjoyed it!! I made this the other week and am already craving it again!!
Diane says
I wish you would give measurements in cups etc. My apples are HUGE! I am going to use 1 and 1/2 of them. Hope it works! We LOVE bakery fritters so I’m anxious to try this as my husband takes a dozen fritters to bible study @ $25.00 a dozen!! Hope he likes these :)!
Kristin says
Sorry about that, I would estimate about 3-4 medium, or 2 large apples for this recipe!
Becky Clever says
Awesome, my sons family, my husband and I loved it. planning to make again soon. I’ll likely double the recipe to make 2 loafs. I was wondering instead of 2 loafs will this recipe work in a Bundt pan when serving more people. Thanks, Becky
Kristin says
Yay!! Glad you enjoyed! Although I haven’t tried it in a bundt pan, it should work great! Just adjust the baking time as I would think it may take a bit longer! Enjoy!
Diane says
Do we leave it in the pan 20 min before removing? It talks about slicing in two different places.
Kristin says
I recommend letting it sit in the pan for a bit to cool off and fully set up, maybe 10-15 minutes!
Jess says
Made this this morning! But as a curious, amateur baker, I wondered at the amount of liquid in the batter before adding the apples, which are also pretty full of liquid. So I cut the milk to 1/4 cup, and purely out of curiosity I added a good splash of ACV… haha! Also I didn’t want one heavy layer of apples in the middle to potentially cause mushiness, so I mixed the apples in the batter before spreading in the pan. Also I added cold butter to the almost-streusel topping to make it slightly more streusel-like. Baked I think 53 minutes. The result – PURE deliciousness. Like super yummy. Just not giving a 5 star since I changed it! Lol. But I would recommend!
Kristin says
Yay! Great changes you made! So glad you enjoyed this recipe!!
Marvina says
Do you mean the glaze topping? And what the heck is AVC. New to this baking.
Kristin Hayes says
Yes, I believe she is saying she made more of a streusel topping instead of the glaze. As for ACV, it stands for apple cider vinegar! Hope that helps and hope you enjoy!
Ricky Adams says
I wonder if you could use stevia?
Kristin says
I don’t see why that wouldn’t work!!
Linda says
If you do muffins – how many – 12? or 6?
Kristin says
This would make about 12 muffins!! Enjoy!
cheryl says
made this recipe, not a big fan! too many steps and dishes. Bread was too sweet, the texture was not right. I put the double batch down garbage disposal. I will say I read the recipe wrong and missed 2 small steps and also used Dark Brown Sugar. I will try again for 1 loaf and pray it turns out. nIfnit does Imwill re-post
Kristin says
Oh bummer! So sorry you weren’t a huge fan of this!! Hope trying again makes it more of a hit!!